New Port Richey, Fla. – Once the Region 8 Tournament was completed on Sunday, the Sun-Lakes All-Conference teams were announced. Lake-Sumter State College was well represented earning three nods to First and Second Team selections.
After a solid rookie campaign, Emma Gray took her sophomore season to the next level. The Fruitland Park native finished top 10 in the state in kills (252), kills per set (3.45), total attacks (823), hitting percentage (.213), serving aces (24) and total points (283). Gray was selected as the NJCAA Region 8 Player of the Week earlier in the season. The exclamation point to her season so far was being named the Region 8 Tournament's Most Outstanding Player. On Sunday, Gray was selected First Team All-Conference.
Earning Region 8 Setter of the Week an astonishing four times in 2018, Gabriela Hernandez was tabbed First Team All-Conference as well. It has been a banner year for the Osceola High School graduate. It had been five years since a Lakehawk put up 50 or more assists in a single match. Hernandez hit that mark five times this season, including a school record 62 assists against Florida Gateway College on Oct. 19. Her 843 total assists is second best in the state along with an 8.69 assists per set average.
In 2017, Amanda Berecz played in just 16 sets. In 2018, she elevated her game to All-Conference status earning a Second Team selection. A three-time Region 8 Defender of the Week, Berecz entered the 25 Dig Club on Sept. 12 against No. 18 St. John's River with 25 digs. She practically kicked the door of the club down with an astonishing 45 digs against Bob Jones University on Oct. 5. Berecz is third in the state with 429 digs, averaging 4.52 digs per set.